Undergarments such as bras typically include a pair of supportive cups and a pair of straps which extend around the upper torso to secure the bra to the wearer. The forward ends of the straps are fastened to a respective cup and the rearward or free ends thereof are often fastened together with a hook-and-eye type arrangement located adjacent the back of the wearer. This hook-and-eye arrangement includes one or more hooks which are secured to the free end of one of the straps and one or more corresponding eyelets which are secured to the free end of the opposite strap. The hooks of one strap are then engaged with the corresponding eyelets on the other strap to securely fasten the bra around the wearer. The hook-and-eye arrangements provided on conventional bras can be difficult to manipulate, not only due to the location thereof adjacent the back of the wearer, but also due to the very small size thereof. Thus, persons having decreased finger dexterity such as arthritis victims, and persons having limited or no usage of one hand such as stroke victims, often experience difficulty in manipulating the hook-and-eye arrangement and thus require assistance when dressing which can reduce a feeling of independence and have detrimental effects on the emotional well-being of the person.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a bra arrangement which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional bra arrangements as discussed above. Specifically, the bra arrangement according to the present invention includes a cup assembly and a pair of straps connected to and extending from opposite sides of the cup assembly and terminating in respective adjacent free ends. The pair of straps each include a fastening member mounted at the free end thereof. An adaptor is disposed between the free ends of the straps and includes a pair of fastening elements configured for cooperative engagement with the respective fastening members of the straps. Further, a strap part is located between the respective fastening elements and defines a pair of opposed fastening areas thereon which are attachable to one another to attach the straps together and are readily detachable from one another to detach the straps from one another.
The invention also relates to an adaptor for a bra having a cup arrangement and a pair of straps extending from opposite sides of the cup arrangement and terminating in adjacent free ends each including a fastening member thereon. The adaptor includes an elongate and flexible strap part which mounts thereon a first fastening element which cooperatively engages the fastening member of one of the bra straps, and a second fastening element which cooperatively engages the fastening member of the other bra strap. The strap part is slidably engaged with the second fastening element and has a pair of opposed portions respectively defining thereon fastening areas which are releasably attached to one another to interconnect the bra straps together.
The invention additionally relates to a bra including a cup assembly and a pair of straps connected to and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the cup assembly and terminating in adjacent free ends. A closure element is provided for interconnecting the free ends of the straps and includes a first fastening member connected to the free end of one of the straps and a second fastening member. The second fastening member includes a strap part having a first end portion connected to a free end of the other strap and a second end portion slidably associated with the first fastening member. Further, the strap part has first and second opposed portions respectively defining thereon cooperative pressure-sensitive fastening areas which are releasably attached to one another to interconnect the two straps to one another.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with arrangements of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.